PSYCHEDELICS & SPIRITUALITY: My Experiences (vlog)
Hi friends - I was recently asked by a Steemit user for my feelings about psychedelics and the spiritual path.
Here are some thoughts about this fascinating question...
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@benleemusic
Great discussion of this complex topic Ben!
I particularly appreciated that psychedelic experience doesn't magically imbue the user with wisdom or truth; people can indeed be led down the garden path. I don't think this is always discussed enough in the psychedelic community.
From a philosophical perspective, I'd describe the after-effect of these expanded experiences as loosening that W.V.O Quine called the 'web of belief' - the interconnected collection of all that we hold to be true. Sometimes this is a good thing. Sometimes, not so much.
Personally, I don't always know what to make of the experiences I've had in the past. One really strong breakthrough experience in particular is confusing. On one hand what I saw (if that's the right word) made sense to me - it illustrated a concept I'd been wondering about. But I also think I initially interpreted it in line with what I wanted to see, if that makes sense.
Regarding how to integrate these experiences, I know people are working on this - some have a possible long term plan to facilitate 'integration circles' to help people come to grips with what they've been through with these plants & substances. It doesn't have to be a 'bad trip'; even a good experience can disrupt your life if it's sufficiently overwhelming.
Anyway, thanks for this post - really cool.
Thank your for your thoughtful response. I resonate with you saying you dont know what to make of these past experiences. I feel similarly. Perhaps holding this paradox is part of the power of the experience.
I think so. It's kind of a microcosm or illustration of our lives in general in that sense. All experiences might not be quite as they seem - not least because we don't directly experience the world, just our brain's interpretation of it. Sometimes it's good to be unsure about what's going on, what to believe, or what to do - even when there's lots of evidence. Other times, it's best to be sure, to fully commit to a decision, to fully embrace an emotion - even when it looks like you might not have good reason to do so.
Hey @samueldouglas, I totally agree about being lead down the garden path and most people who have done psychedelics don't want to hear anything other than how great they are. I personally feel they're just a crack in the window of reality but the real work lies in learning to see for yourself without any external input. Breathing, meditation, yoga I believe are the key. I'm not perfect by any means and must strive to keep these practices in my daily life.
I often think back to my previous experiences but sometimes I feel the urge to go through them again, like an "awakening refresher" or just accept the lessons they taught me and keep going with life. All I want is a content life and to inspire others so if I can life that then it's enough for me :) Stay cool, following you.
Ben - thank you for your expanded thoughts on this subject. Brilliant video. I enjoyed your thoughts on your awakening experience around misguided devotion and psychological vampirism. I can find myself looking for the next thing or person to follow. Perhaps I could spend some more time listening to the quiet voice within...
Of course there are other plant collaborators as well that don't have a psychedelic effect but can provide altered mindset... Along with intention creation for grounding, focus, inspiration, motivation - which is why I love essential oils.
I'm interested in the manufacture of these substances that interact with the human body and psyche. Created by mother earth, plant life and spirit in the atmosphere of our world. It's fascinating and I think much more will be learned in the years to come.
Great though provoking post. Thanks for sharing
Thanks @positiveninja :) yes oils are another subtle form of plant collaboration. Its a very deep field of study and observation. Overall, it helps put us humbly in our place and reminds us we are but a small part of a very powerful system.
Great comment @positiveninja (love the name too! lol) I get what you mean about looking for the next thing or person to follow. I did that for a bout 10 years before realising everything I need is within myself. I've since found the greatest truth in quietness of mind. I don't know a lot about essential oils but I'll have to look into it more. Thanks for posting and you seem like my type of dude to follow :)
Thanks for the positive comments - right back atcha :-)
Weird question - you're not in Orlando are you?
Just realised you're in Oz. I traverse the country for work so if you ever want to find out more about essential oils, hit me up :-)
Yes I totally agree. We make the final call on whatever our angels, teachers, master beings or whatever give us advice on. I generally follow Higher Self (Inner Heart’s) advice/the Inner Knower.
I dabbled with ecstasy as a young adult.. and tried hallucinagenics once (of each) because I hated them. I found them dark and the spirits that came with them felt horrible.
I actually wrote a blog on Marijuana and the effects it has on spiritual development .. i’ll Share it here in case you are interested.
I had a spontaneous Kundalini Awakening when I was 20 (and since then my psyche essentially won’t let me near drugs).. and I don’t think plant medicine would be beneficial either.
What I saw in my Kundalini Awakening was so epic and so personal and nothing I could have made up or that I had perceived anywhere in my world before. And it was completely sober. It was extraordinary truly.
I have a podcast about that too.
Thanks for this video. Also... yes..: People desiring to be gurus almost want to ‘eat other people’s energies’ like narcissists, or parasitic toxic dynamics. The reason for that role never seems to be based on a healthy foundation. I think leaders just are and they operate as equals and by default lead.
Hi @emmasumner, you Kundalini Awakening sounds very interesting. I've heard about this but never looked much into it but I will now. I'd love it if you could post your podcast about it. I've dabbled with psychedelics but really wish to do it naturally and discover myself without external input. I'm also fascinated to read your blog on Marijuana as I feel like it was my 'mistress' for many years as I struggled to deal with real life. I haven't used it in about 6 months and looking back I know I used it as a crutch to deal with reality or possibly to break through this mundane view of reality. If you'd like to share I'll definitely read it. Following you also as I feel you're someone that I could learn from. :)
Thank You.
Yes I totally understand that. I think every thing serves its purpose.
I will grab that link soon.
Thank You.
Thank you for your thoughts Emma. Glad you are here!
My Pleasure Ben.
Me Too!
I love the discourse here, I've got a whole new opinion of you now Ben.
I agree with most of what you said in the video & I'd never even heard of the term " Death midwifery" before I saw you on the @teamaustralia page recently . We have a lot of people willing to help us check in but not many are willing to help people check out. It's a noble concept that's possibly too difficult for most people to even contemplate.
In general psychedelics don't seem to give people as much enlightenment as many believe but in the right circumstances they certainly do have the potential to be a catalyst that inspires a totally different perspective.
All the best Ben, I hope you do well here and stay for the long haul
Thanks for resonating! Look forward to sharing more discourse as we move along.
@benleemusic Absolutely astonishing. Very refreshing perspective. There was a lecture series in Berlin a couple of months ago where Tim Leary's son gave a meditation. Such a profound and enlightening topic. Have you read any Watts or Leary? Taking notes on second-hand experiences is indeed an edifying journey in itself. Upvoted and Following!
Did you mean Alan Watts? I read The Watercourse Way many years ago - great book.
Yes, indeed. The one and only. Watercourse Way is amazing!
Hey @thegingerguide, I'm a huge fan of Alan Watts. I often have to listen to his talks multiple times as it's super simple but also very complex and profound, like Zen. Second hand experience I have found is very refreshing cos your ego will only let you decide so much in your own mind. Hearing it and 'feeling' it from someone elses perspective can be very helpful.
Yes I very much enjoy both of those thinkers. The original Leary version of the Tibetan Book of the Dead - I think he calls it "The Psychedelic Experience" is astonishing!
Thankyou for replying to my comment @bennleemusic. I like how you suggest that people may undergo a "messiah" complex after a psychedelic experience as I think I did this a bit myself after psilocybin. I understand now everyone has to live their own path and many people just don't seem suited to 'seeing' beyond themselves. I personally have since found guidance in being mindful of my breathing without Mother Nature's wild ride. Obviously this won't take you beyond reality (or at least it hasn't with me yet) but it seems to connect you closer to truth.
Steemit definitely is more advanced when it comes to an open mindset as you can see by the responses. I've pondered, maybe because it's based off an advanced technology, such as I've heard people like Graham Hancock suggest the psychedelic experience is a super advanced form of technology. I'm really unsure exactly why but I feel much more able to be open with people on here than any other form of social media as people on here seem to be on the same frequency.
I could write for days but I won't as I'm sure you're quite busy. Thanks again for your reply and putting yourself out there as I know how hard that can be. Very interesting to hear another persons experience and I wish you the greatest life possible.
Thank you for inspiring me to articulate my thoughts on this dynamic subject! More to come.
Hey! I had already pondered when I'd come across a theme like this. I guess Steemit community really could be the kind that is free of judgment towards this subject, and that understands the ideas you've pointed out.
I also agree that these experiences are not meant for everyone. I think the first step towards a positive experience is having an open mind towards these plants and substances, and a calm, unbiased awareness of what it is, how it works, and how it may help.
What is also important is timing, the conditions, and the level of psychological, intellectual and spiritual readiness. Once you’re ready to face whatever you may and you approach it from a manner as you would interpret a dream, with such mindset I think it is possible to make these experiences a valuable insight.
I like that over all you stress responsibility and reiterate that this is not the only way towards personal growth. Meditation, for instance, is one of the many ways one can achieve a heightened state of mind, and readiness to explore the mind.
No matter what the technique, moments of profound introspection are needed, and through these analyses, we may lead a life that is free, full, and in control.
Thanks!
Hey @art.life. The reason I asked him was because I'd come across many people on Steemit who are similarly minded, far more than in real life and on other social media platforms (where you tend to get unfriended for outside-the-norm views). Of all the people I've met very few I think are open to these kind of experiences. You're right, you have to pay very close attention to set and setting. I fucked this up, psilocybin truffles in the middle of Amsterdam and Peruvian shrooms at home... when I had a new born baby crying lol. Not the calmest places to be. I even knew that but still fucked it up! I have since found meditation and don't do it often enough but am working at it and should really make it my main focus.
Many people have had such distressing experiences. It's just that too many are cautious about bringing up the subject itself.
Meditation daily has helped me a lot in dealing with routine, pressure and anxiety. I prefer Michael Sealey on Youtube.
Also, meditation-style guided hypnosis sessions can spark a really profound introspection in your emotions and thoughts. Remember - you can control your thoughts, it feels difficult, but it is entirely upon us. Our minds and bodies are like computers, and you are the one who's in control, the user. Understanding that has also helped me a lot. :)
Thanks @art.life - yes it thought to be a "dangerous" subject to discuss - but then it seems more dangerous to not discuss it! Thank you for the reminder of the connection to meditation as well. These are important skills for us to learn how to observe ourselves.
I agree you need to be in the right frame of mind. Its not for everybody and not for just anytime. You need to show it respect and understand the powerful healing benefits and not treat it like a party drug or a way to escape. thanks for sharing your thoughts on this! <3
xo
It's always interesting to hear someone's view on a topic, and especially if it's about experiencing one's own mind, so thanks a lot! I have never consumed "classical" psychedelics, though I would argue, that there are many plants we use that do have a certain effect on our state of mind, like ginkgo or valerian or mint. Also, I have thrown away concepts or labels of states of mind already some time ago. Sure, there are interesting people who have written or said interesting things, but I observed on myself that I tried to put too many of these labels onto everything, that I tried to "make things fit" to a concept - and that this wasn't good.
To me, it all comes back to knowing who you are, perceiving yourself and also the world you are in. Which is not necessarily limited to what you can perceive with your five senses. Perception is limited, you said, which is absolutely true, and it is also sometimes necessary, of course. As someone who has always been over-perceptive, I wish I could just switch off the perception sometimes, and I find it really interesting to ask myself "How did I get there, why do I perceive all these things that most other people don't?" Certain feelings, connections between people, moods, and much more. Maybe I'll post something about it in the future, depicting a few of these scenes, some tragic, but some also quite funny.
I've always found it not only interesting, but also helpful to ask myself "Why am I who I am in this specific moment? Why am I doing this and feeling like this?", and the same in regard to other people. And interestingly, I have sometimes continued this in my dreams.
I have always been processing a lot in my dreams, and the dreams that have left the most impression were those in which I had a strong feeling of any kind. I'm pretty sure many can relate here.
A couple of months ago something weird happened: I experienced a short dream sequence with a very strong feeling - not positive at all, I couldn't even name it, it was a mixture of many strong feelings - that has altered my state of mind in a certain regard completely, literally from one moment to the next. And even weirder to me (because this feeling I've had wasn't positive, and I still woke up with its echo), this alteration was, for me and my inner peace, for the best. I seriously doubt that I would have ever achieved this alteration by "consciously trying".
Maybe I will elaborate on this some day, it must sound quite confusing without telling what it specifically was and what was "before" and what came "after".
I don't know where exactly it came from, but I do think that both my over-perceptiveness and the way I keep thinking about what makes me me, what makes you you, really contributed to what seems to be some sort of self-healing process of my mind. I say "self healing" because I do come from what I would call a psychological extremely difficult background. I would still say my mind is damaged, but maybe a little less now. And over the years I have learned how to live with my mind. I guess that's also one of the main reasons I don't want to alter my mind in any way that I couldn't predict, it just doesn't feel right. It's good the way it is.
Thanks for your thoughtful response. I agree that the assumption of language connecting to other people's stories about the spiritual journey can be limiting and conforming.
"I've always found it not only interesting, but also helpful to ask myself "Why am I who I am in this specific moment? Why am I doing this and feeling like this?" - I actually wrote a song about this called "Two Questions" and I absolutely agree it is one of the most powerful practices we can do.
Ha, awesome, didn't know this particular song yet, been more of a Noise Addict so far ;)
Great post! I really like the part where you said that if someone takes psychedelics at the wrong time, it could deepen their delusions, yet at the right time, it can help further self-exploration and the expansion of consciousness.
My personal experience with LSD was mind-blowing. I've only done it twice (two weekends in a row), unfortunately, but I learned so much about myself and reality. I only did it because - aside from mild curiosity and a vague interest in psychedelics - there was a girl I liked at the time and she had some. But it wasn't just because I liked her. I have over a decade of background in studying the spiritual traditions (particularly Eastern) and reflecting on my own experiences and insights. This girl had come to many of the same insights and perspectives about reality, the self, society, etc... without any such background, but a whole lot of LSD. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see what I'd experience given those circumstances, and I was definitely not disappointed.
One of the most important and interesting things that happened was that by the end of the second night, I was looking in the mirror and there I was, the most genuine, authentic version of "myself" I had ever seen, without any of the bullshit, pointless worries, etc... I just had this feeling that everything in the world was ok. I've been trying to get back to that state ever since lol. Psychedelics are, indeed, extremely powerful aids when used appropriately and in the right frame of mind.
Truly, thank you so much for making this video :)